Container composed of structural members



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

Hem/2E CONTAINER COMPOSED OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS Filed May 13, 1932 &O O 2 O 000 0 O OQ OO O O O O C Q Q O O F Jails 31 1 193?.

(M 9 961.5 ATTORNEY x5.

0 00 00 00 O- QO O QO O OO OO OQ OO wily M, @333. A. HQWEE LQWEM- CONTAINER COMPOSED OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS Filed May 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l2 l0 L o?gd o o o o l I/ o o o o O O) INVENTOR. A [ex 0726122 flowz'e ATTORNEYS l Patented July 11, 1933 PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDER HOWIE, OF SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO CONTAINER COMPOSED OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS Application filed May 1a;

This invention relates, as indicated, to

structural members and structures made therefrom, but has reference more particularly to structural members in the form of preformed angles, the legs of which are perforated in-s'uch'a manner as to make these angles, either in combination with a plurality of like angles or in combination with other similarly perforated members, suitable for building or making a variety of structures,

such, for example, as containers for transporting cut building stone, scafiolding,ho1sting towers, concrete forms, etc.

By the use of pre-formed structural members perforated in the novel manner to be described, I am enabled to quickly and easlly assemble such members and secure them together, as by means of simple fastening devices, such as bolts and nuts, to form for ex- Y 29 ample a rigid container suitable for transporting cut stone, and which may be suitably subdivided into compartments for rece1v1ng stones of various dimensions. The arrangement of the perforations, is moreover such as to permit the members to be adjusted rela tively to each other to vary the size of the container as well as the size of the compartments. After these containers have been shipped to their destination, the members 0 thereof may be readilydisassembled and em ployed to build scafli'olding or hoisting towers suitable for construction purposes or concrete forms. In this manner, the members may be made to serve a number of useful purposes at the building site, and the construction costs thus are considerably reduced. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of varione structural forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container or crate suitable for transporting cut stone and formed from the structural members of 1932. Serial No. 611,047.

the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the container illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the container; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the container; Figs. 5 and 6 are views of angle members of two different lengths which are used in constructing a. major portion of the aforesaid container; Fig. 7 is a view of a gusset plate and used in the construction of the aforesaid container; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of scafiolding formed from some of the structural members; Fig. 9 is a view of the joint within the circle W in Fig. 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow M; Fig. 10 is a view of the joint within the same circle, 05 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow L; and Fig. 11 is a view of a brace member used in the construction of the aforesaid scaffold.

The container or crate shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is formed by assembling a num ber of angle members 1 and 2, the relative lengths of which are indicated by Figs. 5 and 6, and a number of gusset lates 3, as shown in Fig. 7, these elements eing secured to- 7 gether, as assembled, by means of bolts and nuts. The container may, if desired, be subdivided into a number of compartments of various sizes, the present container being provided at one end with three superimposed compartments 4, 5 and 6, and at its opposite end with two superimposed com artments 7 and 8, the portion of the contalner intermediate such ends being provided with a single compartment 9. These compartments are adapted to contain cut stone of various dimensions, but inasmuch as such stones are cut in a large variety of shapes and dimensions, it is desirable to vary the size of the container as well as the size of the compartments I thereof in accordance with the requirements of the cut stone contractors.

For the purpose of securing such variations in size, the angle members 1 and 2 are adapted to "be overlapped at their ends, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and in order to se-- cure the overlapped ends together, as by means of bolts and nuts, the legs of these angle members are provided with three longitudinally extending rows of perforations the angle members. The middle row of perforations 11 preferably extends along the center line of the legs. Th perforations 1O and 12 are staggered with respect to the perforations 11 and are also staggered with respect to each other. The individual perforations are also. equally spaced longitudinally of the bar. The angles are so preformed that they may be nested one within the other, with the contiguous faces of the legs thereof substantially in contact with each other.

In practice, the dimension a of the angle members, see Fig. '5, Nvill preferably be 3 inches, the thickness Z) of the legs, inch, the dimension 0, 1 inches, the distance d between the rows of perforations inch, and the spacing e between the perforations, 2 inches. The angle members 1 and 2 may be of any desired length, but are conveniently 6 feet, 8 inches and 3 feet, 2 inches respectively, with the perforations beginning 1 inch from each end of the members.

By arranging the perforations said manner, a row of perforations in one of the angle members will be registrable with a row of perforations in. the overlapping angle members, whether the first angle member is lapped over or under the second angle member. This arrangement, furthermore, permits the individual perforations .to be spaced closely together, thus avoiding the formation of a line of weakness, as would be the case if all the perforations were arranged in a single row, i.e., if the perforations 10 and 12 were in the same row as the perforations 11. With the resultant close spacing of the perforations, the degree of adjustability between the members is considerably increased and the assembly of the members to form a variety of structures is greatly facili tated.

In some-cases, gusset plates 3 may be employed to increase the rigidity of the container, and these gusset plates are also provided with perforations 13 arranged in the same manner as the perforations in the legs of the angle members 1 and 2, thereby facilitating their assembly with such angle members.

After reaching the building site, the members of the containers are disassembled and may be employed for erecting various skeleton structures which are useful in the construction of a building, as for example, scaffolds, hoisting towers, etc.

In Fig. 8, I have shown a fragment of a scaffold which may be erected by assembling angle members 1, and auxiliary bracing members, such as 14, see Fig. 11. The manner in which these angle members and braces are secured together is clearly shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The advantages flowing from the arin the aforerangement of the perforations in the angle members 1 are made available in the construction of the scaffold or other structures, as set forth.

Other modes of applying the principle of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means may be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. A container of the character described, comprising angle members adjustably se cured together, each of said members being pre-formed to adapt it for use without modification in building a scaifold, and provided with perforations adapted to be used in joining said members together for such purpose, said perforations having their centers arranged in rows spaced apart from each other 122; distance equal to the thickness of said memers.

2.- A container of the character described comprising members adjustably secured together, each of said members provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in rows spaced apart from each other a distance equal to the thickness of said members.

3. A container of the-character described, comprising members'adjustably secured toranged in rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said members, the permy invention may be employed instead of forationsin one row being staggered with respect to those in an adjacent row.

4. A container of the character described, comprising members, each of which is provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in three rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said members.

5. A container of the character described comprising members, each of which is pro- I vided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in'three rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said members, the perforations of the outer rows be ing staggered with respect to those of the.

middle row and with respect to each other.

6. A container of the character described,

comprising members, each of which is provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in three rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said members, the perforations of the outer rows being staggered with respect to those of the middle row and with respect to each other, and all of said perforations being equally spaced longitudinally of the member.

7. Apontainer of the character described comprising angle members adjustably se- 8. A container of the character described comprising angle members adjustably secured together, the legs of each of said members provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said legs, the perforations in one row being staggered with respect to those in an adjacent row.

9. A container of the character described comprising angle members adjustably secured together, the legs of each of said members provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in three rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said legs.

10. A container of the character described eomprising angle members adjust ably secured together, the legs of each of said members provided with perforations, the center of which are arranged in three rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said legs, the perforations of the outer rows being staggered with respect to those of the middle row and with respect to each other. I

11. A container of the character described comprising angle members adjustably secured together, the legs of each of said members provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in three rows spaced apart a distance equalto the thickness of said legs, the perforations of the outer rows being staggered with respect to those of the middle row and with respect to each other, and all of said perforations being equally spaced longitudinally of the legs.

12. A structural member provided with perforations, the center of which are arranged in rows spaced apart from each other a distance equal to the thickness of said member.

13. A structural member provided with perforations, the center of which are arranged in rows spaced apart from each other a distance equal to the thickness of said member, the perforations in one row being staggered with respect to those in an adjacent row.

14. A structural angle member, the legs of which are provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said legs.

15. A structural angle member, the legs of which are provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in rows spaced apart from each other a distance equal to the thickness of said legs, the perforations in one row being staggered with respect to those in an adjacent row.

16. A structural angle member, the legs of which are provided with perforations, the

centers of which are arranged in three rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said legs.

17. A structural angle member, the legs of which are provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in three rows spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said legs, the perforations of the outer rows being staggered with respect to those of the middle row and with respect to each other.

18. A structural angle member, the legs of which are provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in three rows, spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of said legs, the perforations of the outer rows being staggered with respect to those of the middle row and with respect to each other, and. all of said perforations being equally spaced longitudinally of the le s.

19. A container of the character described comprising members adjustably secured together, each of said members provided with perforations, the centers of which are arranged in rows spaced apart from each other a distance equal to the thickness of said mem bers, each of said members beingpreformed to adapt it'for use Without modification in building a scafi'old.

Signed by me, this 10th day of May, 1932. 

